A groundbreaking research project, titled ‘Evaluating the Impact of Mass Drug Administration on Adverse Perinatal Outcomes and Health Consequences of Endemic Sexually Transmitted Infections,’ has been approved by the Cabinet.

The project aims to test the effectiveness of community-wide treatment with azithromycin in combating two prevalent bacterial STIs, Chlamydia trachomatis and Neisseria gonorrhoeae.

These infections often go undetected due to their asymptomatic nature, causing silent harm and leading to adverse birthing complications like stillbirth, preterm birth, and low birthweight.

The 2019 Fiji Antenatal STI Testing Study revealed alarmingly high prevalence of CT and NG, especially among younger women, placing Fiji among the countries most burdened by these treatable STIs.

The plan is to recruit 180,000 individuals aged 18-49 years from the Central Division of Fiji.

In its decision, the cabinet states that the Central Division was chosen because of its population size, documented high sexually transmitted infections prevalence, and clinical facilities for tracking perinatal outcomes.

The project, led by the Ministry of Health and Medical Services in collaboration with renowned Australian research institutions, will implement stringent ethical protocols and oversight by relevant committees.